Survival after surgical treatment of recurrent pulmonary metastases.
OBJECTIVE
Resection of lung metastases is a generally accepted therapeutic strategy today. This retrospective study was performed in order to estimate the value of an aggressive surgical approach in recurrent metastatic disease of the lung.


METHODS
The survival rates of 42 patients undergoing repeated resectional treatment for recurrent lung metastases (group A) were compared to the outcome of a total of 288 patients after a single surgical intervention for lung metastases (group B). Survival rates and the relative effects of the various prognostic factors were calculated according to Kaplan-Maier and Mantel Cox or Wilcoxon test. Histology of the primary tumors in group A consisted of 18 carcinomas, 22 sarcomas and two melanomas, in group B the distribution was 64% carcinoma, 27% sarcoma and 9% melanoma. The mean follow-up period was 88.5 months for group A and 27 months for group B.


RESULTS
The overall survival rate for group A was 48% at 5 years and 30% at 10 years, the survival rate for group B was 34% at 5 years.


CONCLUSIONS
Long-term survival rates superior to those after single resectional treatment for lung metastases encourage an aggressive surgical approach for this disease.
Groeger
A M
AM
Department of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, University of Vienna, Austria.
Kandioler
D
D
Mueller
M R
MR
End
A
A
Eckersberger
F
F
Wolner
E
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011013:Pneumonectomy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D015996:Survival Rate